Busy, Busy days, but fortunately this has not affected my reading, actually, I’m experiencing a rhythm that reminisces of the days when I read more than 60,000 pages in a year.

Finally some inspiration has reignited my love and passion for the written word.

The most important thing that changed from the past barren months was that I established a reading routine. Instead of lamenting about not being able to sit down and read for a couple of hours, I do some micro sessions all along the day.

I start the day early and with my morning coffee I try to squeeze in at least 30 to 40 minutes of reading. Another thing that helps a lot is during my commute to work, since I’m not driving, I use the time to add around 15 to 20 minutes in the morning and afternoon. Probably my biggest session during the weekdays is during lunch. A cool 45 minutes after chugging down my lunch with the minimal chewing.

As you can see, adding up those little spaces, I’m averaging around 2 hours of reading during the day. Of course during the weekend I’m trying to at least get 3 to 4 hours in. Not always possible but this new routine is fairly new, let’s give it time to develop.

In that regard what is helping out tremendously is that the Bookly Readathon is going on right now. The minimal amount of hours of reading is set to 10 hours and the true achievement will be the top tier 45 hours from January 29 to February 9.

As you can see in the image below, I’m just past the 8 hour mark, with a week to go, and being the greedy reading that I am, the goal is the top tier, but if I get to the third level on the challenge “Plot Explorer” that is, to read over 20 hours but less than 45 hours, I will consider it a great success.

As I have been doing this past few weeks, the majority of the material that I have been reading are graphic novels. Right now, I’m still on the rabbit hole that’s the various series of the famous video game Assassin’s Creed.

In the series Awakening, we sail the treacherous waters of the Caribbean in the 18th century, of course if we are talking pirates, what better way to exemplify that having the legendary Blackbeard make and appearance. On the other hand, Valhalla-Blood Brothers, set in the 860’s, we follow the brothers Stensson and their conquest of England. As I’m a sucker for Vikings, I highly recommend the latter book, it’s a bloody good time as the brothers face an angry Anglo Saxon army.

Thanks to all of this dynamic and fun stories, my reading streaks are alive and well. Actually, the second of the four challenges was successfully completed last week, and I even got the second prize to keep me focused and motivated on my reading.

Here’s a quick update of the challenges

• 10-day reading streak, at least 179 pages per day (Completed
• 5-day gold reading streak, at 300 pages per day (Completed )
• 4 week reading streak, at least 1,253 pages per week ( 3 week streak)
• 100-day reading streak, at least 179 pages per day (24 day streak)

As you can see, the second challenge, the 5-day gold reading streak has been completed and the prize is already in my hands, drum roll please

The second volume of the Horus Heresy, False Gods, my year-long event of reading for the eighteenth year of my project. I love how the anticipation is building in my head of what promises to be an epic year full of Grimdark and a universe that I have never explore before. The only thing I hope is that there’s enough time for me to get knee deep into this vast story, that according to my preliminary delving into it, the 64 series is only part of the whole event.

Lots of reading and catching up to do, that includes being more meticulous with this space to share my adventure thru 1,000,000 pages and a whole lot of caffeine.

I hope that tomorrow one of the sections gets back in circulation. I’m talking about the “Numbers” or my magic Mondays, where I get to share my progress for the week and how the year is shaping up.

But for now.

I’m off to read.

Azriel